2008 FLOODS IN ARKANSAS2008 FLOODS IN ARKANSAS

SEVERE STORMS / RADAR AND HYDROLOGY CONFERENCE

August 13 – 14, 2009August 13 – 14, 2009Jaysson FunkhouserJaysson Funkhouserjefunkho@usgs.govjefunkho@usgs.gov

http://ar.water.usgs.govhttp://ar.water.usgs.gov501-228-3663501-228-3663

U.S. Department of the InteriorU.S. Department of the InteriorU.S. Geological SurveyU.S. Geological Survey

ObjectivesObjectives Streamgaging program in ArkansasStreamgaging program in Arkansas 2008 floods in Arkansas2008 floods in Arkansas Exceedence Calculations and Frequency Exceedence Calculations and Frequency

Curve Changes for Select StreamsCurve Changes for Select Streams Rating Curve Changes Rating Curve Changes

Streamgaging Program in ArkansasStreamgaging Program in Arkansas

First USGS First USGS streamgage in streamgage in Arkansas was Arkansas was installed in 1903installed in 1903

150 streamgages in 150 streamgages in Arkansas (8/01/09)Arkansas (8/01/09)

Ouachita River near MalvernOuachita River near Malvern

6 State agencies (23%)6 State agencies (23%) 7 Municipalities, 4 Water 7 Municipalities, 4 Water

utility companies (11%)utility companies (11%) 7 Federal agencies (36%)7 Federal agencies (36%) 7 private agencies (~ 2%)7 private agencies (~ 2%) $2.5 million in FY 2009$2.5 million in FY 2009

23%

11%

37%

29%

State

Municipalities

Federal

USGS

Streamgaging Program in Streamgaging Program in ArkansasArkansas

2008 Floods In Arkansas

http://water.usgs.gov/waterwatch/arhttp://water.usgs.gov/waterwatch/ar

All exceedence calculations were made possible through a joint-funding effort between

the Little Rock and Memphis USACE and the

USGS

2008 Floods In Arkansas

http://pubs.usgs.gov/fs/2008/3103/pdf/FactSheet.pdf

07056000 BUFFALO RIVER NR ST. JOE

RANK0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70

DIS

CH

AR

GE

, IN

CU

BIC

FE

ET

PE

R S

EC

ON

D

0

20000

40000

60000

80000

100000

120000

140000

160000

180000DECEMBER 1982

AUGUST 1915

MARCH 2008

07056000 Buffalo River nr St. JoeMarch 18, 2008 (49.4’)

134,000 cfs

4 % – 2 % flood

December 3, 1982 (53.75’)

158,000 cfs

1 % flood without 2008 peak

07056000 BUFFALO RIVER NEAR ST. JOE

PERCENT EXCEEDENCE0.00 0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05D

ISC

HA

RG

E, I

N C

UB

IC F

EE

T P

ER

SE

CO

ND

60000

80000

100000

120000

140000

160000

180000

200000

220000

240000

FREQUENCY CURVE WITHOUT 2008 PEAK FREQUENCY CURVE WITH 2008 PEAK

07057370 White River nr NorforkMarch 19, 2008 (39.8’)

196,000 cfs

6 years of peak data available

07060500 WHITE RIVER AT CALICO ROCK(POST REGULATION)

RANK10 20 30 40D

ISC

HA

RG

E, I

N C

UB

IC F

EE

T P

ER

SE

CO

ND

0

50000

100000

150000

200000

250000

DECEMBER 1982

APRIL 2008

07060500 White River at Calico Rock April 11, 2008 (40.27’)

202,000 cfs

4 % – 2 % flood

December 4, 1982 (41.14’)

201,000 cfs

1 % flood without 2008 peak

07060500 WHITE RIVER AT CALICO ROCK

PERCENT EXCEEDENCE0.00 0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05

DIS

CH

AR

GE

, IN

CU

BIC

FE

ET

PE

R S

EC

ON

D

100000

150000

200000

250000

300000

350000

FREQUENCY CURVE WITHOUT 2008 PEAK FREQUENCY CURVE WITH 2008 PEAK

07060500 White River at Calico Rock

MARCH 19, 2008; DISCHARGE = 196,000; STAGE = 39.50

07074500 WHITE RIVER AT NEWPORT

RANK10 20 30 40

DIS

CH

AR

GE

, IN

CU

BIC

FE

ET

PE

R S

EC

ON

D

0

50000

100000

150000

200000

250000

300000

350000

DECEMBER 1982

MARCH 2008

07074500 White River at Newport March 21, 2008 (33.87’)

266,000 cfs

4 % – 2 % flood

December 5, 1982 (34.00’)

330,000 cfs

1 – 0.5 % flood without 2008 peak

07074500 WHITE RIVER AT NEWPORT

PERCENT EXCEEDENCE0.00 0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05D

ISC

HA

RG

E, I

N C

UB

IC F

EE

T P

ER

SE

CO

ND

100000

200000

300000

400000

500000

600000

Frequency Curve Without 2008 PeakFrequency Curve With 2008 Peak

07074500 WHITE RIVER AT NEWPORT

DISCHARGE, IN CUBIC FEET PER SECOND1000 10000 100000 1000000

STA

GE

, IN

FE

ET

0

10

20

30

40

Discharge measurements prior to 1985Discharge measurements after 1985

2008 and 1982 Stage Level

Qold rating = 330,000 cfs

Qnew rating = 257,000 cfs

Rating Curve Changes

Rating Curve Changes07057370 WHITE RIVER NEAR NORFORK

DISCHARGE, IN CUBIC FEET PER SECOND100 1000 10000 100000 1000000

STA

GE

, IN

FE

ET

1

10

100

April 25, 2004 measurements

April 11, 2008 measurements

Rating Curve Changes